ArborProof

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Richmond Hill, Ontario · Updated September 2026

Best Tree Services in Richmond Hill

The three highest-scoring tree companies that serve Richmond Hill, ranked by ARB Score. Every company in Ontario is checked the same way, on insurance coverage, arborist credentials, experience and reviews. No company can pay to be at the top of this page.

22companies serve Richmond Hill
11with WSIB clearance confirmed
5.9average ARB Score here

Richmond Hill’s top 3 by ARB Score

1

Shady Lane Expert Tree Care

Serves Richmond Hill, Markham, Toronto and Vaughan

4.9 · 569 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call (905) 830-0081Visit websiteFull profile →
17.5ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences569 Google reviews
5
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & training3 ISA Certified Arborists
4.5
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1
2

Timberscapes Tree & Plant Services

Serves Richmond Hill, Sutton West, Georgina, Keswick and Beaverton and more

4.9 · 373 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 905-251-7422Visit websiteFull profile →
10ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences373 Google reviews
4
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience17 years in business
4
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

3

White Glove Tree Services

Serves Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Scarborough, Etobicoke and Oakville and more

4.9 · 39 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 416-920-3838Visit websiteFull profile →
9ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences39 Google reviews
1
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

Ties are broken by number of Google reviews. White Glove Tree Services and Beautiful Trees Inc are tied at 9.

More companies serving Richmond Hill

4Beautiful Trees IncCaledon · 4.8 from 28 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed95BigLeaf Tree ServiceMarkham · 4.8 from 117 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed86Any Height Tree ServiceToronto · 5.0 from 115 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed77Five Star Tree CareRichmond Hill · 4.8 from 84 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed78P & A Urban Forestry Consulting Ltd.Richmond Hill · 4.9 from 10 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed7See all 22 companies serving Richmond Hill on the map →
Before you cut

Richmond Hill’s private tree rules

Permit needed across the city

Since April 2025, Richmond Hill requires a permit to remove or injure any private tree with a trunk 15 cm or wider, measured 1.4 m off the ground. Replacement trees are protected at any size.

Whole city

Permit for trees 15 cm and up

Tree Preservation By-law 19-25 (in force April 23, 2025) lowered the size trigger from 20 cm to 15 cm. Trees planted as replacements need a permit at any size.

Whole city

Replant or pay per tree

Permits usually require replacement trees: 1 for a 15–20 cm tree, rising to 7 for a tree 101 cm or wider. If you can't plant, cash-in-lieu is $945 per tree (2026).

Whole city

Light pruning is allowed

Pruning that removes no more than 20% of a tree's live branches and leaves in 12 months does not need a permit.

City-owned trees

City trees are handled by the City

Trees on City land, including street trees, are not covered by this permit and are managed by the City. Call Access Richmond Hill for pruning or removal requests.

All of York Region

Woodlands need a Region permit

Trees in woodlands covered by York Region's Forest Conservation By-law are excluded from the City by-law. Treed areas over 0.2 ha need a York Region permit.

Anywhere in Ontario

Trees on a property line

A tree whose trunk sits on the line belongs to both neighbours. Ontario’s Forestry Act says you need your neighbour’s consent before removing or injuring it.

Size limits, fees, replacement trees and exemptions
Which trees need a permit
15 cm trunk width, measured 1.4 m off the ground
Permit fee
2026: $314 + HST for the first tree, $109 + HST each additional tree, maximum $859 + HST per application; cash-in-lieu $945 per replacement tree.
Replacement trees
By trunk size of the removed tree: 15–20 cm = 1 tree; 21–40 cm = 2; 41–50 cm = 3; 51–70 cm = 4; 71–90 cm = 5; 91–100 cm = 6; 101 cm+ = 7. Cash-in-lieu $945 per tree (2026). Securities may be required before the permit is issued.
Common exemptions
  • Pruning of 20% or less of live tissue in 12 months
  • Nurseries, active tree farms and cultivated orchards
  • Trees inside buildings, solariums or rooftop gardens
  • Trees removed under approved subdivision/site plan conditions
  • Utility work
  • Woodlands regulated by York Region

Not sure if you need a permit?

Ask the municipality before any work starts. A good tree company will also check for you and tell you who applies for the permit.

Access Richmond Hill

905-771-8800Official information page →

Summary checked September 2026. It’s a plain-language guide, not legal advice. Bylaws change, so confirm with the municipality before you remove a tree.

Sources
Before you hire

What to check before you hire a tree service

Tree work is dangerous, and it’s expensive to fix when it goes wrong. Six questions worth asking any company, including the ones on this page.

  1. Ask for a WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability insurance

    Tree work is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. We do our best on our end, but these certificates can change before we have a chance to update them. Some good companies will give them to you without you even having to ask. Bonus!

  2. Find out who will actually do the work

    You may get a Certified Arborist as your salesperson, but will the same be true of the person who works on your property? You won't know until you ask. A Certified Arborist may cost more, but it can cost a lot more if the work is done wrong and the tree dies early or your property is damaged.

  3. Get the quote in writing

    It should say exactly which trees, and whether cleanup, wood removal, stump grinding and so on are included. The more detailed the quote, the better.

  4. Ask who handles the permit

    If a bylaw applies, agree up front who applies for the permit and who pays the fee. Removing a protected tree without one usually means a fine for the property owner, not the tree company.

  5. If money is tight, try this

    See if the work can be scheduled in a slower season for a lower price. Clear obstacles (fences, gates, lawn ornaments, plants) before the crew arrives. Find someone online, such as on Facebook Marketplace, who will take the wood for free. Or change the scope of work, for example pruning only the lower half of the tree instead of the whole tree.

  6. Trees near power lines are a utility job

    If branches touch or come close to a hydro line, call your local hydro utility (the one on your electricity bill) first. Only crews the utility approves can work near power lines.

How we pick Richmond Hill’s top 3

We rank every company whose service area includes Richmond Hill by ARB Score. The score counts Google reviews, WSIB clearance, published insurance and pricing, years in business, ISA-verified arborists and Canadian ownership. We look up everything except insurance and pricing, which a company tells us itself.

Tree services near Richmond Hill

VaughanMarkhamAuroraNewmarketTorontoPickering

ARB Scores reflect public records and research on the date checked. Always confirm insurance, certification and WSIB coverage directly with a company before you hire it.